A number of products have been developed for the purpose of disinfecting and cleaning. However, many of these products use toxic, poisonous chemicals that are detrimental to the environment and to our health.
Hydrogen peroxide is a strong, environmentally friendly, disinfectant with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity that has been widely used in the healthcare field. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide is also a strong oxidizing agent that in high concentrations can damage tissue and damage surfaces such as foodstuff, making them more vulnerable to pathogenic penetration.
Essential oils, are natural products known to have antimicrobial properties and disinfectant solutions based on essential oils have been formulated, U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,498. However, the potency and spectrum of action of many of these formulations lag behind those exhibited by other antimicrobials. Furthermore, formulations are difficult to make because the oils are not readily miscible in water.